Target for miniature ranges.



PATENTED SEPT. l5, 1903.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I'. M. GAUDET.v TARGETIOR MINIATURE RANGES.

.APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1902.

No MODEL.

PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

E. M. GAUDET. TARGET FOR MINIATURE RANGES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8, 1902.

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

f77/vena?? 65m elba.

mm.. if@ -y ivo, 'rear/9o.

UNiTED STATES 'PnrENr retained september 15, 190e;

EEicE.

TARGET FOR lVllNlATURE RANGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters )Patent No. 738,790, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed February 8, 1902. Serial No. 93.180. (No model.) i

- the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in targets for miniature ranges; and the object of my invention is to provide a target which shall allow of practice with small-arms or ordnance of any description being carried on in confined or limited places and without the expense entailed by using full-sized ammunition, and, further, to have the said miniature target of such size and arrangement that the skill required to place a shot in any division of the miniature target when using specially-prepared ammunition with a reduced charge will be substantially equal to the skill required to accomplish the same results in any corresponding division of the full-sized target With full-sized ammunition, and, further, to provide means whereby the effect of wind is obtained by an apparent deviation of the bullet from the center of the target and generally to reproduce in a miniature range the conditions and difficulties which obtain in a full-sized range; and it consists, essentially, of an aiming-target and a scoring-tar- Y get the vertical distance between whose centers is equal to the distance between the line of vsight and the trajectory at their intersection with the plane of the target, the dimensions of the scoring-target being such that the probable number or percentage of hits contained in any figure or division of the target when using the miniature ammunition will be exactly equalrto the probable number or percentage of hits contained in any figure or division of the full-sized target when using full-sized ammunition, the various parts of the device being constructed and arranged in detail, as hereinafter more particularly described.

Figure l is a View of my target for miniature ranges, indicating the relative positions of the aiming and scoring targets for use on a miniature range when practicing pointblank shooting. Fig. 2 is a view of my tarn get for miniature ranges, indicating the relative positions of the aiming and scoring targets as used when practicinglong-range shooting. Fig. 3 is aview of my target for minia-V ture ranges, indicating the relative positions of the aiming and scoring targets as used to represent the wind eect on a long range. Fig. t is a diagrammatic View of a miniature range in which a target is being used for point-blank practice. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of a miniature range in Which a target is being used for longrange practice.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each ligure. g

It may be here mentioned that it is my intention to use cartridges of the ordinary size in connection with my target; but the said cartridges will have a reduced charge of ex plosive, so that the rifle may be used Without a miniature barrel, and in this Way the conditions on the full-sized range may be more nearly represented on the miniature range than by the use of Vminiature barrels, which have been used heretofore. It will be understood, however, that there is nothing to prevent the use of rifles with miniature barrels with these targets if it is desirable to do so.

A is the aimingtarget,comprising the bulls eye and the outer rings or zones a' a2, dre.

B is the scoring-target,comprising the bullse eye b and the outer rings or zones b b2, dac.

The aiming-target A is indicated in heavy lines, so as to be plainly visible to 'the rer. The scoring-target B is preferably made in light or dotted lines and is visible only to the marker in order that the tirer will not con fuse it with the aiming-target. The vertical distance between the centers of the aiming4 target and the scoring-target, which is indicated by the letter C in the drawings, is equal to the vertical distance between the trajectory and the line of sight at their intersection with the plane of the target for any given elevation of the piece, and it is determined experimentally.

When the irer is instructed to prepare for practiceat a point-blank range, the rear sight of the piece will be inl the ordinary lowered position, as in Fig. 4. The line of sight E will point directly at the center of the bullseye of the aiming-target; but owing to the fact that a reduced charge is used in the cartridge the trajectory F will drop considerably and will intersect with the plane of the tar-- IOO get below the center-,of the aiming-target. It is at this point ot intersection that the cen: ter of the scoring-target will be placed, so that in a perfect shot although the line of sight points directlyat the center of the aiming-target A the bullet will strike the center of thescoring-target B.

In Fig. 5 the conditions are shown which exist when the irer is instructed to adjust his sights for a long range. The rear sight G is accordingly raised, as shown, and the rifle will point upwardly at an angle which will be greater or less, vaccording to the range at which the firerissupposed to be practicing. The line of sight F in this case Will point directly at the center of the aiming-target A; but the trajectory will rise above the line of sight and will strike the target at a point which may be considerably above the center of the aiming-target, the distance between this point and the center of the aiming-target depending on the elevation given to the piece or, in other words, on the range represented by the miniature range.

The dimensions of the aiming-target are determined in proportion to the dimensions vof the full-sized target, varying inversely as the range to be-represented, so that the firer will aim at a target having the same appearance as the full-sized target would have at the full-sized range.

The method of calculating the dimensions of the scoring-target is as follows: The accuracy or mean absolute deviation of the.

full-sized ammunition at the full-sized range is calculated by Wellknown means. The mean absolute deviation or accuracy of the miniature ammunition at the miniature range is also calculated. The dimensions of the full-sized target to be represented are known, and the dimensions of the scoring-target will g bear the same relation to the accuracy of the miniature ammunition at the miniature range as the dimensions of the full-sized target bear to the accuracy of the full-sized ammunition at the full-sized range.

A further point of improvement in my target is shown in Fig. 3, in which the scoringtarget isset slightly to one side of the aiming-target,the object of this being to give the tirer practice in adjusting his sights to compensate for the wind causing a deiiection of the projectile. In actual practice the marker will move the scoringtarget, for example, a distance D to the right and will indicate by a signal to the tirer that the wind is coming from the right and that he must adjust his sights accordingly. The shooter can then lire one shot to discover the deflection for Awhich he must make an allowance,after which of shots within any division issubstantially the same as the skill required to place the same number of shots in a corresponding division of the full-sized target and in which the efect of wind may be produced and in general a target which reproduces the conditions of a full-sized range in a limited space.

It will of course be understood that the target need notv be circular in form, as shown, but may take any other regular or irregular form-as, fo'r example, the ligure of a manand, further, during exposure to firing both the aiming and scoring targets may be fixed or caused to move in any direction, either continuously or intermittently, to represent a moving enemy or animal, as the case may be.` Again, although I have described the method of absolutely determining the correct size for the scoring-target it will be understood thatin practice it is not necessary to rigidly adhere to the 'dimensions determined by calculation so long as the spirit of the ingets, although the aiming conditions may be practically the same as those of the full-sized target, still the chance of scoring is not the same, as the dimensions of the scoring portion of the target do not bear any definite relation to or, in other words, are not calculated from the dimensions of the full-sized target and the relative accuracies of the miniature and full-sized ammunition. In my target, as above pointed out, the difticulties of IOO aiming and the chance of a shot comingin the bulls-eye when correctly aimed are exactly the same on the miniature as on the fullsized target at their respective ranges. It will also be understood that I may use an indicating-target in connection with my miniature target on which the marker will indicate to the tirer 4the result of his shot; but I do not claim this as my invention, as such a device has been commonly used in connec tion with ordinary targets.

What I claim as my invention is l. In atarget for miniature ranges, the combination with an aiming-target, of a scoringtarget, the dimensions of whichbear the same relation to the accuracy of the miniature amfmunition at the miniature range as the dimensionsof the full-sized target bear to the accuracy of the full-sized ammunition at the full-sized range to be represented, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a target for miniature ranges, the combination with an aiming-target, of a scoringtarget the dimensions of which bear the same relation to the accuracy ofthe miniature ammunition at the miniature range as the Vdi-y mensions of the full-sized target bear to the IIO accuracy of the full-sized ammunition at the full-sized range to be represented, and the vertical distance between the centers ot' the aiming and the scoring targets being equal to the Vertical distance between the trajectory and the line of sight at their intersection with the plane of the miniature target, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a target for miniature ranges, the combination with an aiming-target, whose dimensions are in proportion to the dimensions of the full-sized target, inversely as the distance to be represented, of a scoring-target the dimensions ofwhich bear the same relation to aecuracyof the miniature ammunition at the miniature range as the dimensions of the full-sized target bear to the accuracy of the full-sized ammunition at the full-sized range to be represented, and the Vertical distance between the centers of the aiming and the scoring targets being equal to the vertical distance between the trajectory and the line of sight at their intersection with the plane of the miniature target, as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a target for miniature ranges, the combination with an aimingtarget whose dimensions are in proportion to the dimensions of the full-sized target, inversely, as the distance to be represented, of a scoring-target the dimensions of which bear the same relation to the accuracy of the miniature ammunition at the miniature range as the dimensions of the full-sized target bear to the accuracy of the full-sized ammunition at the fullsized range to be represented, the vertical distance between the centers of the aiming and the scoring targets being equal to the Vertical distance between the trajectory and the line of sight at their intersection with the plane of the miniature target, and the center of said scoringtarget lying in a separate Vertical from the vertical containing the center of the aiming-target, as and for the purpose speci,- ed.

Signed at the city of Quebec, in the Province of Quebec, this 11th day of January, 1902.

FREDERICK MONDELET G-AUDET.

Witnesses:

WINcEsLAs RICHARD LA Run, FRANoIs XAV 1ER LAPLANTE. 

